Tom Brady fans, you can now own a piece of sports history: The sand on the beach in the NFL legend announced his (second) retirement on Feb 1 in the Miami area is selling like hotcakes on eBay.

We are not 100% sure who of the identity of the industrious soul who got the first, um, scoop, but at least one wheeler dealer is a local named Charles Ortiz.

The 31-year-old IT tech is aware of another TikTok user with the handle @betrcaroline who went viral with her retirement sand video, but he believes he came up with the idea first.

The Miami Beach High grad, born and raised in North Miami Beach, says that after the football icon posted his video, he immediately recognised the dunes filled spot, with the modern buildings and telltale Grand Beach Hotel Surfside on 94th Street and Collins Avenue in the background.

“I saw people were selling water from Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom after it closed, so crazier things have happened,” said Ortiz, laughing. “So I picked up a jar and a newspaper from Publix to get the day’s date and went over there to the site.”

Ortiz, with the eBay handle @gadgetgs, uploaded the listing of the sand in an eight ounce Mason jar, next to a “proof of life” style New York Times newspaper with the date of Brady’s (second) big reveal. The starting price: US$677 , for the total number of touchdowns Brady had in his career.

“Only a single sample taken the day of the video (undisturbed) will be sold,” reads the description for interested parties. “You will be owning the very land the GOAT retired on.”

Ortiz promises video proof of the on site collection, which was sent to the Miami Herald.

By the time Ortiz woke up the next day, the eBay post had blown up, with 120 bids, 304,683 views and 4,835 watchers. The listing was originally set for 10 days ending on Super Bowl Sunday.

But on the evening of Feb 6, eBay took it down, Ortiz reported. The email notification, shown to the Miami Herald, gave the reason, “Your listing isn’t following item description policy.”

Alas, Ortiz has made zero money from his bright idea, but says many folks are using his authentic snap to try to sell similar jars of “retirement sand” now. We do indeed now see a bunch of copycats hawking “Brady retirement sand on the auction platform. One of the highest prices we found Thursday morning was from @patriotscollector2007, going for US$29,399 .

In a pic next to the auction you see Ortiz’ original jar, proof of life style Times newspaper and even his hand. Ortiz alleges that the picture is his and people have been using it to try to profit.

“There are fake auctions based on my post,” said the online entrepreneur.

Asked why Ortiz’s post was taken down while others remain, Scott Overland, a spokesperson for eBay, told the Miami Herald that, “on background, when these types of listings are in the correct category and follow our policies, they are permitted.”

He said eBay ends listings and auctions “that don’t meet the San Jose, California company’s policies or are miscategorised....Those miscategorised ones are the listings showing up as if they have an authenticity guarantee, however this does not apply to any listing like this.”

Overland directed us to learn more about its Authenticity Guarantee program, which covers such merchandise as trading cards, jewelry, watches, sneakers and handbags.

Ortiz also heard back from eBay around the same time. “Rob” at the Ebay leadership team told him the listing was “taken down in error due to a spamming complaint issue,” he told us, adding that Rob says they are working on targeting fakes.

“As you can imagine with how many eyes on this post, folks we’re reporting it out of spite and it looks like that’s what ultimately led to it being taken down... a real disappointment as they say they cannot restore the original listing either.”

Ortiz won’t try to sell anymore Brady retirement sand online but isn’t at all bitter about his business deal gone south. And even as a lifelong Miami Dolphins fan, Ortiz still believes that recently divorced father of three is The GOAT.

“Brady has caused me a lot of pain over the years,” he jokes. “But I do respect him. Seeing him leave the Patriots and go to the Bucs and win another ring is so impressive. How can you be a hater?”

 - TNS